Caulfield Cup 2015 Second Declarations Feature Fame Game

The Japanese-trained pre-field favourite Fame Game is one of the headline second acceptances taken by Racing Victoria for next month’s 2015 Caulfield Cup with the latest round of declarations closing at midday on Tuesday.

Hartnell is one of the headline local Australian gallopers among the 2015 Caulfield Cup second declarations this spring. Photo: Steve Hart.

First acceptances for the $3 million Group 1 BMW Caulfield Cup (2400m) featured 114 stayers heading towards the October 17 classic over the mile and a half at Caulfield Racecourse, but that number has been cut to 81.

The Yoshitada Munakata-trained Fame Game was the $9 favourite in futures Caulfield Cup betting at Ladbrokes.com.au before second declarations, a price set to firm with the Heart’s Cry stallion still in the mix.

Runner-up to Gold Ship in the Group 1 Tenno Sho (3200m) last start back in May, Fame Game is also headed towards the $6.2 million Group 1 Emirates Melbourne Cup (3200m) at Flemington in November and is allocated 57kg for the Caulfield Cup in the lead-up to the ‘race that stops a nation’.

Viewed (2009) for the late, great Bart Cummings was the last horse to carry 57kg to victory in a Caulfield Cup.

Japan meanwhile took out the spring major 12 months ago with the ill-fated Admire Rakti (2014) and along with Fame Game another Japanese stayer among the Caulfield Cup second acceptances this year is Hokko Brave (55.5kg) who ran sixth in the Tenno Sho over the two miles.

Equal Caulfield Cup top weight this season is the Sir Michael Stoute-trained European raider Snow Sky (58kg) who will attempt to carry the same kilos as recent champs Admire Rakti (58kg) and French visitor Duanden (58kg).

Nayef stallion Snow Sky was at $17 for the win before the latest acceptances, the Group 2 Yorkshire Cup (2816m) – Group 2 Hardwicke Stakes (2414m) winner last seen crossing sixth of seven runners in the Group 1 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes (2414m) at Ascot in late July.

Also allocated the 58kg in the race this year is last year’s Melbourne Cup winner Protectionist, the now Kris Lees-trained former German galloper not having won a race since his triumph in the world’s richest handicap.

The other highest-weighted Caulfield Cup second acceptors are: another German import Our Ivanhowe (56kg) for Lee & Anthony Freedman, The BMW winner from the autumn Hartnell (55.5kg) for John O’Shea and the aforementioned Hokko Brave (55.5kg).

O’Shea’s other headline second acceptors include Reset four-year-old Hauraki who was second in the ATC Derby back in April and recent Chelmsford Stakes winner Complacent.

Other top fancies in early Caulfield Cup betting paid up for this week include Makybe Diva Stakes runner-up last start Rising Romance, fellow Group 1 Oaks winning mare Gust Of Wind, the Murray Baker-trained ATC Derby winning Kiwi Mongolian Khan and the Chris Waller-trained Preferment last seen winning the Group 2 Hill Stakes (2000m) at Randwick.

Other noteworthy stayers still in Caulfield Cup contention include reigning Crown Oaks winner Set Square, the Tony McEvoy-trained Australian Guineas runner-up Alpine Eagle, multiple Group 1 winning mare Lucia Valentina who is a stablemate to Protectionist and Max Dynamite.

Another of the internationals still on the Caulfield Cup path, Great Journey six-year-old Max Dynamite is prepared by Ireland’s William Mullins and was last seen winning the Group 2 Lonsdale Cup (3300m) in York on August 21.

2015 Caulfield Cup third acceptances close on Tuesday October 6 followed by the final field out on October 13, the Tuesday before Caulfield Cup Day.

Before then make sure you check out the exclusive early odds on offer for all the Melbourne majors online at Ladbrokes.com.au!